A Single Step
by searchingformyturtles
Summary: A young knight is fed up with lies. A blooming sorceress is tired of being held back by fear. They have one thing in common: a will to find someone they lost. Nyotalia. Fantasy AU. GerIta.


_Summary: A young knight is fed up with lies. A blooming sorceress is tired of being held back by fear. They have one thing in common: a will to find someone they lost. Nyotalia. Fantasy AU._

_Pairing: GerIta_

_Lynde=Nyo!Germany, Anneleise=Nyo!Austria, Alice=Nyo!England, Amelia=Nyo!America. Anyone else who is mentioned is an oc! Lynde's dad and mom, the guards, etc._

* * *

The afternoon streets of Allemain were crowded and bustling as always, the tempting smell of smoked boar and spices filling the nostrils. It was almost enough to make a person drool. The sky was a vivid shade of cerulean, the sun the brightest it had been in days. The kingdom of Allemain was a lucky one; it was one of the few who got to experience the sun and warmth for the majority of the year, only to be interrupted by the region's relatively short winters. Yet even then, the sun could be spotted in its place above.

Lynde and her steed, Grane, weaved through the crowd of citizens as merchants in their shops and stands shouted out the prices of their wares. The street was congested, yes, but the suit of armor she wore didn't make the tread any difficult. The Allemain respected a knight, and Lynde's status as royalty already made her popular among the people. She nodded in thanks as men and women moved aside for her and Grane, a habit of theirs.

For someone from the distant kingdoms of Scandia, or the farther Aleynia, a royal passing through the common crowd would be an odd sight; anyone related to the throne somehow would be at great risk in a troubled kingdom such as Aleynia. In Allemain, it was different. The food supply was good, the struggles were few, and the king was beloved by all. Any Allemainian would rather embrace their king than kill him. It was peculiar, but it had been so in Allemain for as long as its oldest citizen could remember.

As the roads got steeper, the people grew sparse. This was the road towards the castle, which didn't get many visitors apart from the days of harvest feasts and summer balls. Lynde could see the castle's gates ahead, a Royal Guard positioned at each end. The castle itself was a tall, looming, stone gray figure, not the most colorful castle ever built; yet the lack of color worked well, and the castle was the only home Lynde had ever known.

Lynde greeted the guards, and asked the question that was on everyone's tongue. "Has there been any word from my father?" A fortnight before, Lynde's father, King Alrich, had made a trip to the nearby kingdom of Vergetten, to ensure an alliance would be kept between the lands of Vergetten and Allemain. He had not yet returned and there had been no word from him, leaving Lynde's mother brimmed with worry.

"Aye." The oldest of the guards nodded, a thin smile playing among his lips. "A bird arrived this morning with a letter. He is set to return this evening."

"Good to hear it. My mother will be relieved."

"As will the rest of the kingdom, Your Royal Highness."

"Indeed. I appreciate the news, Valor. I expect to see you and the rest of the Royal Guard at the banquet for my father's return." With a flourish, Lynde set Grane into a trot once more, giving once last nod to the guards before she moved into the castle's courtyard. Lynde had to find her mother.

"Your Highness." A castle servant, a pale, bespectacled woman, known as Alice, approached Lynde and bowed her head slightly, her straw hair tied in a bun. "May I take your horse?"

Lynde dismounted and handed Grane's reins to Alice, who held them tight in her fist. Lynde eyed her a bit warily. She knew Alice was not the best with animals...exactly why Lynde preferred her horses be tended to by Amelia, the most vigorous and oldest of Alice's wards. "Take him to Amelia. He hasn't eaten yet, so make sure she feeds him."

"Aye, aye!" Alice pushed her spectacles up her nose slightly and led Grane away, towards the stables. Lynde watched them for a few , her mouth slightly curling at a corner when Grane whinnied and shook his head, escaping Alice's grip. Grane then trotted away with the blonde barely at his tail, but Lynde wasn't worried. Grane was a loyal steed.

As Lynde walked up the steps leading to the royal chambers, she did her best to avoid the whispers of the maidens that passed by. They would giggle and stare when they thought Lynde wasn't looking; but the royal could always sense when someone's eyes were on her. She hated the attention. Being in the spotlight was her father's preference, not hers.

Lynde had reached the top of the staircase when a young woman stormed up to her, her cheeks a faint red. Her long, dark wine tinted hair moved like waves as she walked, yet not one strand was out of place. It was rumored among the female servants that what kept her hair in such a condition was magic. In truth, it was the work of plenty lizard oil and lemon.

"So you've finally arrived!" The woman affirmed, crossing her arms in front of her bosom. "Your mother has been waiting for you, you know! Where were you? Did you get lost?" She began tapping her foot against the stone floor, causing a rapid 'tap, tap' that was sure to be heard throughout the corridors. There was a slight crease in the woman's forehead, out of place among the rest of her youthful features. Perhaps she had truly been worried, which wouldn't be very surprising. Lynde's cousin Anneliese acted more like a mother than Lynde's own mother did, oftentimes. Yet somehow that was a trait that made her endearing.

"I was out riding. Grane was growing restless from staying in the stables for so long." As of recent, Lynde had been filling in for her absent father. That meant she had to spend most of her time in meetings with her father's council, a group of old skeptical men. She found that she managed to get along and even work well with these people, but she had needed a break. Lynde could now understand why her father barely showed up to the meetings when he actually was around.

"Well...alright." Anneleise's complexion had faded back to its original pale. "I can believe you, you look utterly filthy." Lynde scowled; Anneleise paid it no mind. "Go see your mother and then change. We have a banquet to attend this evening." The brunette woman gave Lynde one last curt nod and strode away, leaving her alone at the top of the staircase.

After scrubbing her face with a damp cloth, Lynde found herself in her mother's chambers. They were empty. One of her mother's ladies informed Lynde that the Queen was busy preparing for her King's return, and would be occupied for the remainder of the day. Lynde thanked the girl for the information and left for her own chambers. She was a fool to have thought her mother's thoughts would still be on her after the news of her father's return.

In her chambers, behind long, scarlet curtains, Lynde's wooden bathing tub was full. She touched the water with her fingertips: it was warm, and she was grateful for the sorcerer who kept it that way.

Before getting into the tub, Lynde followed through with her pre-bath ritual: she locked the door, covered all windows with drapery, and made sure she had the utmost of privacy. Once done, she removed her armor, chain-mail, and all until she was left bare.

Lynde stared at the light markings on her chest, which trailed up her left shoulder. She felt them lightly with her fingers and followed the string of symbols that had reserved a spot on her body for the past eight years. Each time she touched the markings, she felt a soft sensation inside her being she could not describe. She couldn't tell if it was good or bad, warm or cold- she didn't know if she liked it. '_It doesn't matter_,' she reminded herself. She shook her head and eased into her tub.


End file.
